


Beachside Fashion

by aruarudayo



Series: The Elements According to the Shepherd and his Water Seraph [2]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: M/M, Sormik Week 2016, featuring the swimsuit DLC we all know and love, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-07 21:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7730182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aruarudayo/pseuds/aruarudayo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sorey and Mikleo don't know how to swim, so the natural course of action is to go shopping for swimsuits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beachside Fashion

**Author's Note:**

> I will probably take this “archaeology nerds can't swim” head canon to my grave. 
> 
> For the sake of this fic, Sorey and Mikleo somehow never came across the concept of swimming and the other seraphim never thought to tell them. Also shopping in Glenwood is surprisingly similar to modern shopping lmao.
> 
> I have another bit where they actually (sort of formally) learn how to swim and the whole thing was supposed to be part of Sormik week, but I liked where this one ended and the other section has become much longer than I intended it to, so this gets to be its own one shot.

It's a chance day when none of their responsibilities were particularly pressing that Lailah suggested—read: ordered—a day of rest for the party. 

“It's a wonderful day outside, and I haven't gone swimming in such a long time; why don't we go to the edge of the lake and go for a dip?”

She'd been expecting Sorey and Mikleo, especially the latter, to jump at the chance for some fun in the sun and water, but both of them seemed reluctant. 

“Isn't that kind of dangerous?” Mikleo asked, a worried frown on his face.

Sorey nodded, sporting a similar expression. “I guess the malevolence is gone thanks to Uno-san, but I wouldn't want to jump in something that deep for no reason.”

“Oh geez,” Rose sighed. “You mean you guys have never gone swimming for fun?”

They exchanged a look before Sorey decided to ask sheepishly for the both of them, “...What’s swimming?”

The whole party was struck speechless for a moment.

“...It's true they'd never seen the ocean before we got to the Great Camelot Bridge,” Zaveid remarked.

Rose giggled at the memory. “And they did try to attack the little crabs we found.”

“Meebo is such a special little water seraph,” Edna drawled, taunting the boy. “He’s probably the only one in the entire world that doesn't know how to swim.”

Mikleo clenched his fists in frustration; not only were they throwing this entirely new concept at them, but she just _had_ to make fun of him on top of it. “Now see here—”

“Well, we’ll just have to teach them!” Lailah interjected, effectively grinding any potential conflicts to a halt and earning herself a glare from Edna for interrupting her fun. “The nearby shops probably have swimming appropriate clothing.”

Rose smirked then, a scheming glint in her eye. “Actually, I think I remember seeing something I thought was perfect for Mikleo. How about I take him with me while the rest of you shop around for yourselves and Sorey?”

She grabbed Mikleo by the wrist and pulled him along with her without giving him much say in the matter. 

As he’s dragged off, the rest of them could hear him groan, “Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this?”

 

 

Edna shopped with surprising eagerness, pulling out a white two-piece even before Sorey had fully grasped the variety of swim attire. 

“Hurry up, Sorey, or I'll pay for this myself and scare the teller,” Edna urged, crossing her arms impatiently.

Partially because of her threat and partially because he really couldn't tell the difference, Sorey didn’t think too long about his swimsuit, picking a random pair of orange and blue trunks off the rack despite Zaveid and Lailah’s protests. 

“Swim fashion is incredibly important,” Lailah chided, though she didn't make him put it back or anything. She seemed to be having enough fun choosing her own outfit, eventually giving Sorey a red two-piece, a white wrap, and a huge sun hat.

“Mickey-boy isn't going to be impressed at all if you just get any old swimsuit,” Zaveid lamented, though he grabbed something not too different, albeit more blatantly floral.

“Why would I need to impress Mikleo?” Sorey asked.

The two of them smiled sweetly at him (which looked slightly terrifying on the both of them for different reasons) and didn't respond.

 

 

Edna jumped in the water immediately when they reached the shore.

“Somehow I didn't think Edna would be that into the idea of playing in the water,” Sorey mused.

“As an earth seraph, she’s quite adept in the water,” Lailah explained.

Zaveid stared pensively at Edna as she swam languidly out into deeper waters. “I'm pretty sure she got her love for the water from her brother though,” he said quietly, drawing Sorey's attention.

Before he could ask for elaboration, Rose loudly made her entrance, a surprising guest alongside her.

“Hey everyone! Look who I found!” she called, waving with a hand that was interlocked with that of one Alisha Diphda, who had shed her usual knight garb in favor of a flattering pink bikini. 

“Rose! This is embarrassing!” the princess cried.

“C’mon; you look great! And you need to relax as much as we do! You said you didn't have much to do anyway, so I'm sure it's fine for a few hours.”

“Where’s Mikleo?” Sorey asked, glad to see Alisha again but more interested in seeing his best friend, a fact that wasn't lost on the other seraphim or Rose if their grins were any indication. 

“He’s hiding behind us and hoping no one will see him,” Rose said, pulling him around with her other hand.

“I can't believe you talked me into this,” Mikleo grumbled, resolutely avoiding anyone’s gawking eyes, especially Sorey’s. After a full minute, he just covered his face with his hands, whimpering, “...Somebody please say something.”

Sorey swallowed, unsure of what he _could_ say, suddenly feeling overdressed, and maybe it would've been a good idea to have thought a little longer about his own swimsuit if Mikleo was going to wear _that_ — _that_ , referring to a pair of shorts that couldn't be much longer than Edna’s bikini bottoms and a short-sleeved jacket that Rose had zipped up half way, teasing them with a glimpse of the skin underneath.

His brain was short circuiting mostly, what with Mikleo showing an uncharacteristic amount of his long, slender legs and milky white skin, his hair styled in a messy, air swept way—Rose must be learning from Zaveid—and Sorey would be lying if he didn't think Mikleo was even prettier than usual.

So he told the truth. “I think you look gorgeous.”

Mikleo froze, peeking out at Sorey incredulously as color rose to his cheeks, and without warning, he turned on his heel and walked straight into the water.

“Wait! Mikleo! Did I say something wrong?” Sorey cried, following him before his friend could completely submerge himself out of embarrassment

Left behind, the rest of the party sported blushes of their own. 

“Sorey’s something else, isn't he?” Alisha commented.

Rose sighed. “Princess, you don't know the half of it.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know about you folks but I never get tired of Sorey saying INCREDIBLY EMBARRASSING STUFF and Mikleo just dying every single time.


End file.
